Father’s Day Guide 2016–It’s June 19, remember?

In case you don’t remember, Father’s Day is coming up on June 19, 2016. That’s Sunday, for those of you who don’t know your made-up holidays.

Normally, I would be against things like Father’s Day. But you know what, I’m a father, and it’s nice to have one day where you may get to do what your kids want to do for you. Sheesh. Is it still all about the kids?

Anyway, this year, I figure I will give you some advice.

What to give your father on Father’s Day

Give him liquor. Trust me here. In fact, don’t just give him liquor. Give him whiskey. Or whisky. Whichever.

The Scotch to buy

If he’s a scotch man, you can’t go wrong with the the Balvenie Tun 1509, second batch, a selection of 32 of the finest casks – 23 traditional American oak casks and nine European oak sherry casks – hand-selected by Malt Master David Stewart from the distillery’s precious aged stocks. All were transferred to Tun 1509, which sits in The Balvenie’s Warehouse 24, for several months before bottling. This is a rare interpretation of the marrying process and allows the different whiskies to come together to create a unique expression of The Balvenie that is greater than the sum of its constituent parts.

In case you’re not convinced, I’ve tried it. It’s good. It’s the stuff Anthony Bourdain called “nectar of the gods.” He’s right. At $350 a bottle, I admit it’s a splurge. And here’s a tip. That $350 is only worth it if he’s willing to crack it open while you’re there, and you can share a dram together. Perhaps with a cigar.

Good times.

If $350 for the Balvenie Tun 1509 is too much for you, get him a bottle of Monkey Shoulder. Almost as good, and 1/10th the price.

If $350 isn’t your style, I would go for a bottle of Monkey Shoulder. Those in the know know Monkey Shoulder. For $32, you can’t go wrong. It’s blended, yes, but it’s a blend of three of finest malts out there. I love this stuff, and I always keep a bottle on hand. With single malts, I will always try something new, but when it comes to my everyday dram, I always go for Monkey Shoulder.

The bourbon or rye to buy

I recommend Hudson whiskey. Everything they make is fantastic, but I especially like their Manhattan Rye or their Four Grain Bourbon. Both are excellent, although the Four Grain Bourbon is not available in 750mL. It’s still only in 350mL, which may be a deal breaker. Go for the Baby Bourbon, instead. It’s great, too.

Both the Baby Bourbon and the Manhattan Rye are $52 for the 750 mL bottles.

What to eat on Father’s Day

Sure, you could take your father to an overcrowded, overpriced brunch place on Father’s Day, but if I know your father, he doesn’t really want that. It’s a hassle, and it’s not that fun, and the food is probably disappointing anyway.

Instead, grill for him. These grill packages from BB Butchers look downright decadent. If I opened a package that looked like that, I would about melt. Especially if I got to grill it. Or better yet, one of my daughters grilled it for me.

Okay, so my daughters aren’t old enough to buy liquor for me or grill for me. But still, my wife could pretend.